Touch-regulator for pianos



(No Model.)

H. A. TOBELM AN. TOUGH REGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

N0v 510,729. Patented Dec. 12, 1893.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. TOBELMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

TOUCH-REGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,729, dated December12, 1893.

Application filed September 21, 1893. Serial No. 486,108- (No model) NewYork, have invented new and useful Im-.

provements in Touch-Regulators for Pianos, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a device for adjusting the resistance of theaction so as to adapt the piano for varying touches, and the inventionconsists in the novel features set forth in the following specificationand claims and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which Figure l isa plan view of the regulator. Fig. 2 is a section along a: m Fig. 1.

In the drawings the letter A indicates a piano key and B the balancerail, and D E a horizontally arranged lever fulcrurned intermediate itsends to the case of the piano, as at O, and adapted to be depressed atits outer end by a pivoted cam or finger G. The lever D E is jointed bylink H to leverI K fulcrumed at L. The lever arm K carries a series ofsprings M, one for each key. By actuating finger G so as to depresslever arm D, the lever arm K swings toward the keys so as to cause itssprings M to press on the tail ends of the keys. A CllShlOIl N carriedby each spring will soften the contact between the spring and key. Asthe cam or finger G is actuated to increase or diminish the pressure ofsprings "M on the keys, the force required to depress the keys will ofcourse vary. The springs M are not secured to the keys so that byraising lever arm K sufiicien t1 y the springs M will be raised clear ofthe keys. By causing the springs to press on the keys the resistance ofthe latter is increased so that a person practicing will have hisfingers strengthened and also the noise of practicing is diminished asthe keys resisting the touch will actuate the hammers with lessintensity than if the like touch were applied to keys not exposed to thepressure of springs M.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a key, of an actuating lever D E pivotedintermediate its ends, a pressure lever I K connected with the inner endof the actuating lever, a spring connected to the pressure lever to acton the key, and means for depressing the outer end of the actuatinglever to elevate the inner end thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a key, of an actuating lever D E pivotedintermediate its ends, a pressure lever I, K connected with the innerend of the actuating lever, a spring connected to the pressure lever toact on the key, and a pivoted cam or finger G for depressing the outerend of the actuating-lever and elevating its inner end, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. TOBELMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

